1. تقول ما حالهم بعدي

    هل هم على العهد لي باقين

    You say, "How are they after my departure?"

    Are they still true to their pledge to me?

  2. هل هم على العهد والودّ

    أم قد تناسوها بطول السنين

    Are they faithful to the pledge and affection,

    or have they put them out of mind over the long years?

  3. أما أنا لم أخن عهدي

    أذكرهم كلّ وقت وحين

    As for me, I have not betrayed my pledge;

    I remember them at every time and moment.

  4. ما رفرف البرق من نجد

    إلا وذكرني النازحين

    Never does lightning flicker from Najd

    without reminding me of those who have gone away.

  5. رعيا لوقت مضى

    فيه الصفا ولرضا

    Blessings on a time gone by,

    when there were serenity and contentment.

  6. يا ساكنين الغضا

    من أيمن الطلح والرند

    O dwellers among the ghada trees,

    on the right-hand side of the acacias and laurels,

  7. والقلب مني مع النازلين

    وجدي على بعدهم وجدي

    and my heart is with those who dwell there.

    My longing at their distance—my longing!

  8. وكم أصفق بيسرى يمين

    واللَه ما كان في وهمي

    And how often I strike my right hand with my left!

    By God, it never entered my mind

  9. أن أرتضي بعد ليلي بديل

    والآن ذا منتهى علمي

    that I would accept a substitute after Layla.

    And now this is all I know:

  10. مخالفة ما قضى مستحيل

    سقاهم اللَه بالوسمى

    to defy what He decreed is impossible.

    May God water them with the first autumn rains,

  11. تحيا به أرضهم والنخيل

    قم شدّ لي البزل الوخد

    through which their land and date palms come alive.

    Rise, saddle the swift, mature camels for me,

  12. إن كنت لي يا حويدي ظنين

    إلى تريم المنا

    if you care for me, O Huwaydi,

    toward Tarim of hopes,

  13. فقد بعد عهدنا

    يا ربنا لقنا

    for it has been long since our last meeting.

    O our Lord, bring us together.

  14. كم ذا تمنى ولم يجدى

    يا ربنا لقنا باليقين

    How often one has wished, to no avail!

    O our Lord, surely bring us together,

  15. يزول عن باطني وقدّي

    بالقرب يا غارة الصالحين

    that the fire within me may subside

    through nearness, O succor of the righteous.

  16. سازور شيخي ومحبوبي

    سعد السويني التقى السعيد

    I shall visit my shaykh and my beloved,

    Sa'd al-Suwayni, the pious and blessed.

  17. فذاك سولي ومطلوبي

    وليس أطلب على ذا مزيد

    For that is my wish and what I seek,

    and I ask for nothing beyond this.

  18. يا سعد هل تجبروا صوبى

    لا تصرموا حبل أقلّ العبيد

    O Sa'd, will you heal my hurt?

    Do not sever the cord of the lowliest of servants.

  19. انا الذي خانني جهدي

    وليس لي غيركم من معين

    I am the one betrayed by my own effort,

    and I have no helper but you.

  20. يجوز يا أهل الحما

    زلالكم قد طما

    Is it right, O people of the sanctuary,

    that your clear water has overflowed,

  21. وأنا أموت بالظما

    شا أقصدوهم غاية القصد

    while I die of thirst?

    I shall seek them with all my resolve—

  22. محمد سيد المرسلين

    هو جدّنا نعم من جدّ

    Muhammad, master of the messengers.

    He is our forefather—what an excellent forefather!

  23. نفخر بنسبته في العالمين

    We take pride in our kinship with him throughout the worlds.